


Shabu-Shabu

by Onlymostydead



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Cooking, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mentioned Temporary Canon Character Death, Paranoia, Pining, Post-Calamity, talking about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 01:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16985703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlymostydead/pseuds/Onlymostydead
Summary: The Champions are staying in Kakariko for a while to get advice from Impa, and to spend some time together. But when the inn doesn't have enough room, Impa offers the extra bed in the upstairs of her own house to Revali.He finds out that he has a lot more in common with Paya than he thought.





	Shabu-Shabu

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks, Zzariyo, for giving me this idea! Love you Zz <3

Kakariko Village had never been Revali's favorite place to be, even in the best of times. Now? It was awful. People who knew him a hundred years ago were old now, with hesitant memory and skewed perceptions. It was charming, sure, but the village had never felt quaint before. Before it had been a bustling city, full of young people, students, parents with young children... Now it felt a little more like a care home for the elderly. 

Just looking around left a sour taste in his mouth. The smell of cooking food still wafted through, but it wasn't the mismatched scents of before. People still ran through, the occasional child, but nothing that it had been before.

Worst, though, was just the act of being there. All of the champions had gotten together, staying there for a few days while they... Well, while they figured out what to do. Things were all over the place right now, with Link and Zelda leaning on Impa for advice.  
All of them were leaning on Impa for advice. She was always a voice of reason back when they were all staying in the castle, and that hadn't changed, even with time. So they all stayed holed up in Kakariko Village, stuck together in close proximity.

At least, that's what Revali assumed, which would be worse than staying dead. Seeing Link again... It was torturous. Being a spirit and seeing him was bad enough, but really being there? Knowing he could reach over and touch him? That he was real? Keeping his composure had been near impossible; he couldn't imagine having to share a living space with him. As they trudged through the street, up to the inn, Revali tried to keep him out of his thoughts.

Still, it was hard when he was right there. After so long... And he didn't remember a thing.

Goddess, he had been so stupid. How did he think this was going to go? All of the champions, getting together in Kakariko Village because things where they were had gone to hell. Rito Village really was a Village these days, and nothing was the same, nothing was the same and it was all-

Deep breaths. Revali tried to keep his cool, squeezing his eyes shut, clenching and unclenching his hands. He was fine. It was all just.. Fine. He had watched over Rito Village. He saw-  
Not the Calamity. Don't think about the Calamity.

The group of champions stopped outside the inn, while Link went in to arrange their stay there. Revali had to admit though, it was easier to breathe when he was gone. He just got that tightness in his chest, a quickening of his heart... he was hopeless. Even if Link barely remembered him, what he barely remembered couldn't be positive. He'd been awful to him.

Link came out of the inn, shaking his head. "Well, we have a problem."

At least that was the same; he still only signed. If Link were to talk, Revali thought he would lose his mind for real.

"What is it?" Mipha asked, soft as ever.

And the other champions hadn't changed much. Only Link and Zelda. Zelda seemed older, but at the same time... A whole lot happier. It was great to see her smiling again. Link was... Bolder. He made facial expressions, even when people were watching. He told people what he meant. Revali only found himself even more in love.

"There's only four beds." Link explained. "We'll have to find somewhere else for someone to sleep for the night."

"Oh, thank Hylia." Revali blurted out.

Everyone's eyes turned toward him.

"What? You think I want to stay in a confined space with all of you? Hardly." He added quickly, tapping back into his Pre-Calamity persona.

Urbosa rolled her eyes. "Alright. We'll just have to find somewhere else for you to stay."

"We can certainly ask Impa." Zelda forward, toward the inn. "But for now, you can put your things in here with ours."

"Alright." Revali nodded, following after the rest of them.

Why had he- never mind, priority at the moment was to keep his mouth shut. The last thing he needed was to get his old reputation back. So he followed silently, looking away from Link because if he did he knew that he wouldn't be able to keep from staring.

***

"Oh, he can stay at my house." Impa offered with a chuckle. "I sleep downstairs most of the time, these days. It's difficult for me to make it all the way up. There's a bed already made."

"Thank you, Impa." Revali nodded in respect. 

"I'm glad we could settle that so quickly!" She grinned. "Things have never been that easy with you."

He shrugged. "A hundred years will change a person."

"Sure it will." Impa raised an eyebrow, barely containing a grin. "Sure it will."

Revali scoffed and looked away. "Didn't we have other things to discuss?"

Zelda nodded. "We were-"

"Feel free to go get your things, Revali. You won't listen to any of this anyway." Impa shook her head. "I'm sorry, Zelda. I didn't mean to interrupt you. What were you here for?"

Rolling his eyes, Revali made his way to the door as Zelda began explaining her ideas for current applications for the ancient tech. The only part that bothered him was the fact she was right. There was no way he was listening to that. 

Maybe a hundred years didn't change that much.

It was a short walk back to the inn, and all it took was a mention of Link's name to the innkeeper to let him back into the room. Quickly, he arranged his things and made his way back to Impa's house. Even just having the Great Eagle Bow on his back was a comfort, even though the town was as safe as could be.

He thought his divine beast was as safe as could be, too. Look where that ended up.

Swallowing, Revali pushed that thought back down and pushed open Impa's doors. Zelda was still talking, about re-training people in the Sheikah magics, as Revali made his way up the stairs. 

The upstairs room was small, fairly dark, but the cramped space almost served to make it feel... Cozy. Safe, if a bit claustrophobic. One bed had a corner of the blankets pulled down, and someone's things arranged nearly near it. The other, by contrast, sat alone and bare, save for the blankets tucked nicely around it. Figuring that one must be Impa's, Revali set down his things.   
Carefully, he unstrung his bow. Leaving it strung too long could damage it, after all... Even if he felt safer with it ready. It was fine. It wasn't as if anything would attack him here, of all places.

Or would it?

Revali tried to distract himself from those thoughts by snooping around the other person's things. He didn't want to risk unfolding any clothes, but they looked fairly small. The hairbrush on the dresser had long white hairs sticking out of it, which said nothing about the age of the owner, since everyone here seemed to have long, white hair. 

The real teller, though, was the diary on the table. Looking around for a moment, hearing the others still talking downstairs... He started reading.

Skimming through the first page, Revali found himself largely uninterested. But then...

"After sleeping for ages, Master Link has finally awoken. It seems his memory is completely gone... But that hardly mattered to Grandmother."

So Impa was their grandmother? Interesting... Must have been adopted. Impa never had anyone... At least, that he knew of. Still, that was interesting.

"I believe this is the first time I've ever seen her quite so happy. Master Link himself looks so gallant... He is the very picture of the hero I always imagined. His blond sideburns flow like a golden waterfall over his dignified, pointy ears. And the way his hair is so perfectly parted to the side, wow! I don't know why, but my heart won't stop beating a mile a minute... "

Revali felt his feathers ruffling as he read, puffing up as she described Link. He really was that beautiful and gallant and... Damn, he was hopeless. Hopeless and terrible for reading this poor girl's diary.  
Still, he kept on.

"I must admit that I'm still not great at interacting with young men. But I think I am finally able to speak to Master Link while looking him in the eyes! Those wonderful eyes..."

His eyes really were wonderful. All sparkling and bright, the most brilliant shade of blue Revali had ever seen. The color of the sky on a perfect day.

"Naturally I still get a little embarrassed... but I can't help it! I always follow his gorgeous gaze with my own. I blame his beautiful blue eyes. Ugh. This is all so strange..."

Just reading something from someone else who understood... Revali's heart beat faster in his chest just thinking about Link's eyes. This was impossible.  
But still...

"I wonder if Master Link is in love with Princess Zelda..."

Revali snorted. No way in hell; she was only into women. Never in the history of Hyrule had there been a bigger lesbian.

"If so, I think they suit each other quite splendidly. If they became a couple, I'd give that pairing my full support. Though just the thought of that makes my heart hurt... I wonder if I'm coming down with something."

"Oh, honey." Revali clicked his tongue. "Does she really not know?"

"I'll ask Grandmother for some medicine tomorrow."

She really didn't know. Blinking in disbelief, he turned the page.

"When I asked Grandmother for some medicine, she just sat there with a grin on her face."

That was like her, after all.

"I went to Cado and Dorian to ask them what that meant, but they just grinned at me too. In the end, I wasn't able to get any medicine..."

"Of course not, you aren't sick, just in love." He shook his head.

Then again... He thought he was sick when he was first getting feelings for Link, too. It was quickly resolved, but... He could relate to her.

"I spoke to Grandmother about what's been weighing on my mind lately. For the first time... my heart know what it means to love."

Revali frowned. Just because she'd never been in love before, didn't know she hadn't felt love. Romantic love now, maybe that was new. But still....

"Though it may be a love that is never shared or returned, just having it for myself is gift enough."

"How saintly," Recali grumbled.

If only he could be like that. If only he could look at Link and feel something other than a horrible, empty longing. I desire to love and be loved.

"Seeing him brings me great joy... I bet he has that effect on everyone."

He clicked his tongue again. "Girl, you have no idea..."

"I have only gratitude toward him for showing me what it's like to feel this way about someone."

Sighing a final time at that, he flipped the page.

"Link comes to visit less often now, but his visits are no less lovely. Each time he takes care to talk to everyone, no matter what. It's very kind. I think that's what it means to be a hero, really. Just being good to others."

Revali smiled at that. It was cliche, but cute.

"Still... I can't help but be sad a little bit. My heart hurts picturing him with Zelda, or anyone else. Deep inside... I want it to be me. It feels selfish, but I do wish that he loved me more."

Each word felt like a blow to Revali as he read, resonating with him from the inside out. It was so selfish, wanting Link's love all to himself, and yet...

"Grandmother told me that Link will be coming soon, since the Calamity has been defeated. Even though I know that it's just like when he visits normally, my heart is pounding out of my chest. She said that, in his letter, he mentioned the Princess too. I do hope to meet her, even if I am a bit jealous."

Shaking his head, Revali bit back a chuckle.

"I am sure she's every bit as wonderful as grandmother describes. All I can do while I wait is make sure things are as clean and perfect as they can be... I am looking forward to him being here quite a bit."

Aww, that was-

"You can't- you're- stop!" 

A high pitched voice squeaked from behind Revali, causing him to slam the journal shut and stand straight up.

"I mean- I wasn't-"

"That's my journal!" The girl exclaimed, brown eyes wide in disbelief, her face completely scarlet.

"Sorry?"

"Why did that sound like a question?"

"I don't know!"

Revali swallowed, and stepped away from the table. "I'm sorry. But, in my defense, it was open."

Sighing, she shook her head. "Couldn't you tell it was a journal though?"

"...yes." 

"Then why didn't you stop reading?!"

"I'm in love with Link too!" He blurted out.

Dead silence. Revali could hear the house creak softly, and that was it. The girl - Paya, according to the journal - turned even more red, hiding her face in her shaking hands, bowing her head in embarrassment. Revali was fluffed up so big he was sure he looked like a month-old fledgling.

"I am sorry." He finally stammered out, having to look away from her. "I wouldn't want anyone reading my journal, either."

She took a shaky breath. "Well, Ch- Champion Revali, I-"

"Please, just call me Revali." He groaned. "It gets tiring."

Letting the hands fall away from her face, she raised a curious eyebrow. "That's odd."

Revali frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing!" She yelped, covering her face again. 

"Obviously not nothing." He scoffed. "What is it?"

Paya shook her head. "It's just that..." She lowered her hands. "From the stories, I'd assume that you'd want to be called the champion."

"Yeah, and you wouldn't assume that I would have some hopeless romantic feelings for Link of all people either, would you?" Revali rambled, not quite caring how it sounded. "You wouldn't assume that... Never mind."

She frowned, brows drawn up in concern. "Alright... So are you...?"

"I'm staying here, for a bit." Revali answered before she even got to the question. "All of the champions are staying here, but there wasn't quite enough room in the inn, so Impa offered her bed, up here."

Paya nodded. "Alright. That's... Is everything alright? Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine."

"Not even any dinner?" 

As if on cue, Revali's stomach rumbled. "I'll go with you to make some."

She smiled. "Alright. Could you help me carry some things, then? If it's not too much trouble-"

"It's fine." Revali reassured her. "Lead the way."

This girl was the only one who understood him. He may as well befriend her... At least for his time here.

***

Revali was always amazed by watching people cook. He himself had been told that he could burn water, so watching someone who knew what they were doing? Mesmerizing. Even though Paya was just preparing the rice right now.

"Sorry, this'll probably take longer than I'd like, but Shabu-Shabu sounded really good, and I had stuff prepared, and-" 

"I already told you, it's fine." Revali cut her off. 

She frowned as she covered the pot, but let out a little sigh. "Okay."

"You know..." Revali stared down at the bar, and at the ingredients Paya had him carry down for her. "Link loves to cook."

"He does?!" Paya jumped up her face the very picture of surprise. "I mean, I wouldn't figure that the Hero would- that he would-"

"Good at it, too." He smirked at how worked up over it she was; just like he had been. "His food is amazing. When it was his turn to cook... I can't even describe it."

Paya seemed lost in a dreamy smile... Before she saw Revali again. "And? What about you?"

His feathers ruffled. "What about me?"

"Do you cook? If you took turns, I mean, you must have."

"I was..." Revali turned his head away. "Banned from cooking anything."

Paya gasped, covered her mouth, then began to laugh. "Banned?"

"Oh, ha ha. Laugh all you want." He rolled his eyes. "I'm terrible at it."

"That's awfully humble." She poked, grinning.

"You're just like Impa now, aren't you?"

"Is that- is it a bad thing?" She asked, eyes going wide. "I can stop, it's-"

"It's fine." Revali cut her off. "Just fine."

It's harder to be completely haughty and confident when you know you can lose. When you know you can die. When you have died.

When you failed.

The rice was done before long, and Paya started on the broth, and cutting up the vegetables and meat. She was surprisingly adept with the knife, too. Is reminded Revali too much of the practiced ease Link had when he gutted fish, or trimmed mushrooms, or sliced endura carrots into paper thin rounds. It was incredible. He was incredible.

Revali sighed, letting his shoulders slump. "I'm hopeless, aren't I?"

Paya hummed as she worked, not really looking up. "I suppose we both are, really."

"You're right." He nodded. "But how can you not be hopeless when he looks so... So..."

"Perfect?" She finished.

"Yeah. Perfect."

"I don't know." Paya shrugged, setting aside the thin slices of carrot. "I think everyone feels a little bit of that towards him. He's just beautiful, on the inside."

"And the outside." Revali pointed out. "His nose is adorable, all covered in freckles."

"And his cheeks look so soft..."

"His eyelashes are so curly and gorgeous..."

"And his eyes are the perfect shade of blue..."

"His hair is amazing... And so soft."

"You've touched his hair?" Paya asked, stirring the broth.

"Once or twice." Revali answered quickly. "Just to untangle it. He was always a mess, it seemed like."

She laughed. "He is now, too, sometimes. He shows up once in a while without a shirt on."

Revali laughed, but Paya was blushing profusely. He wondered if she would cover her face with her hands again, like before.

"I hate it when he does that." Revali sighed, but the picture in his mind...

"How come?"

"You know that other people can see him like that."

Paya blushed harder, and covered her face. "I couldn't- that's-"

"Sorry, sorry." Revali hoped he hadn't really gone too far. "But... You understand what I mean."

Face still covered, she squeaked. "Yes, I do."

"Than we're good?"

"That's still so dirty, but..." She stirred the broth again. "Yes. Will you help me take this off the heat? It's quite heavy, so be careful."

Revali lifted the pot, holding it steady as she added things, or took them out; he wasn't paying as much attention as he should have been. All he was doing was watching the movement of her tiny, pale hands. They were so much like Link's... If he didn't have all the scars. Her movements were confident, despite Paya's apparent difficulty in that realm. It was a practiced type of movement, like almost everything Link did.

"There, now let me just kill the fire a little bit..." Paya messed with the fire until she was apparently satisfied. "Thank you. You can set it back down now."

Thankful for the relief, the pot was indeed quite heavy, Revali set it back down.

"The broth just needs to simmer a bit longer, then we can get to cooking." She explained. "I'll need to make a bowl for Grandmother first, but after that it'll be good. Sorry for the long wait."

"It's alright, I'm in no rush."

"If you don't mind me asking," Paya put the lid on the pot. "What brings you to Kakariko, anyway?"

Revali frowned, turning his head away. That wasn't a question he was prepared to answer. In truth, it was a lot of things. The nightmares, the screaming, the panic attacks, the fact that he, and the others, all felt like strangers in their own homes and villages. But he couldn't explain that to this girl who had likely never left the village, and definitely had never seen combat.

"I guess... We all just needed a break. Some time to spend with each other." Revali finally said, avoiding her eyes. "Link has been eager to get to know us again, since he's..."

"Forgotten?"

"Yes. Since he forgot everything." Revali frowned, scowling down at the ground.

"Oh." Paya swallowed, biting at her lip. "Were you two close, before...?"

"No." He shook his head. "We weren't close at all. We... Got off to a bad start. I want to fix things between us, but... With him only remembering our moments of conflict, it's hard."

"I see." Paya laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I hope that you two can get closer, then."

Revali managed the barest hint of a smile. "What about you?"

She blinked. "What about me?"

"How do you and Link interact? Surely there has to be something-"

"Sometimes I don't even know if he notices me!" Paya blurted out, then covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, you can keep-"

"No, you're fine." Revali leaned forward in his seat. "Keep going."

Paya blushed, then huffed out a little sigh. "He talks to me, but I feel like he always just sees straight through me. I'll say something, and he'll respond, but I guess... I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I'm the one starting all the conversations."

"That sucks."

"...is that really what you have to say?"

"Yeah," Revali raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

"I mean... You are famed to be excellent with words."

"Not just famed." He corrected. "I am... When I want to be. But right now? We're just complaining about how we both like the same guy."

"That is true." She nodded. "I hadn't thought of it like that."

"Precisely. Right now I don't have to be a Champion."

Paya frowned. "Of all people to say that, I still wouldn't think-"

"It's not as glamorous as everyone thinks." Revali interrupted. "Link understood that from the beginning, but it's taken me this long for it to really sink in. Everyone thinks of you as this legend, this bygone figure, and as soon as you differ from what they think of you? It's like they think you're wrong."

"You know, for just chatting about how we like the same guy, that was quite a speech."

Fluffing up a bit, he shook his head. "You know? Whatever. It's just... Exhausting that he has one view of me when it's been a hundred years. Who I am has changed."

"I understand." Paya nodded. "I mean, I don't really understand, but can see how that would be- I don't even know what I'm saying anymore."

Revali laughed. "That's alright. The broth smells amazing, are you sure it's not finished?" 

"I don't know, let me check." Paya lifted the lid, the smell immediately hitting them both tenfold. "I do think it's done. Here, would you hand me that?"

Handing her the tray, Revali took the pot lid and laid it back in the grass. Slowly, she began laying down meat and vegetables into the broth, leaving them to cook there.

"These will be done in a few minutes." She declared, dropping one final slice of carrot in. "But isn't it absolutely breathtaking when he flips his hair?"

"I know." Revali groaned. "It's infuriating. Or when he does that little smirk?"

"It leaves me weak in the knees? What about when he..."

***

Revali lay awake in bed, trying to get to sleep. His body was exhausted, but his mind still wouldn't allow him to ready. He just felt so... Vulnerable. Alone. Scared.

Sighing, he rolled onto his side. He wasn't alone. He wasn't even alone at this very moment, with Paya's soft snores coming from the other bed. Kakariko Village was well defended, with guards posted outside of the very building he was staying in. He was safe. They were all safe.

...and worrying about Link could wait until morning. Besides, then he could share his feelings with his new friend.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblrs are Supertinydom and Supertinywords!
> 
> Requests are open!
> 
> Comments are love <3


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